# Dave Vasen

> Dave Vasen is the founder and CEO of brightwheel, the leading all-in-one software platform for early education that serves thousands of childcare centers and preschools across the US. A Stanford and Wharton graduate, Vasen left AltSchool in 2014 to build brightwheel after seeing firsthand how preschool operators struggle to run both a classroom and a business simultaneously. He famously appeared on Shark Tank in 2016 where Mark Cuban and Chris Sacca fought over the deal, landing a $600K investment. Brightwheel has since raised $88.8M in total funding and reached a $700M+ valuation by 2024, with $75M in annual revenue - making it one of the most impactful companies in the early childhood education space.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at brightwheel
- **Organizations:** brightwheel, AltSchool, Amazon, Bain & Company, Teach for America
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA in International Relations and Science, Technology & Society, Stanford University, MBA in Entrepreneurial Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
- **Known for:** Built brightwheel into the leading all-in-one platform for early education with $75M+ ARR, Raised $88.8M in total funding from investors including Mark Cuban, Chris Sacca, Bessemer, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Achieved $600M valuation at Series C (2021), growing to $700M+ by 2024

## Career timeline

- **2004-2007** — Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company
- **2010-2012** — Head of K-12 Education for Kindle; Head of Product & Business Development for Kindle Accessories at Amazon
- **2013-2014** — VP of Product at AltSchool
- **2014** — Founded brightwheel (originally called KidCasa) after leaving AltSchool
- **2014 Fall** — Launched pilot program with 10 preschools
- **2015** — Raised $2.2M seed round
- **2016** — Appeared on ABC's Shark Tank; secured $600K from Mark Cuban and Chris Sacca for 13.33% equity
- **2017** — Secured additional $10M investment from Cuban and Sacca
- **2021** — Raised $55M Series C led by Addition; company valued at $600M
- **2023** — Acquired Experience Early Learning curriculum platform
- **2024** — Company valued at $700M+; reached $75M annual revenue

## Achievements

- Built brightwheel into the leading all-in-one platform for early education with $75M+ ARR
- Raised $88.8M in total funding from investors including Mark Cuban, Chris Sacca, Bessemer, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
- Achieved $600M valuation at Series C (2021), growing to $700M+ by 2024
- Appeared on ABC's Shark Tank in 2016, securing investment from two sharks simultaneously
- Scaled brightwheel to serve thousands of childcare centers and preschools across all 50 US states
- Led acquisition of Experience Early Learning in April 2023
- Stanford graduate with distinction and honors; Wharton MBA
- 1st generation American entrepreneur

## Latest updates

- **2024-07** — brightwheel valued at over $700 million with $75M in annual revenue
- **2024-10** — Reached $37.5M in revenue with 498-person team
- **2025-01** — Released automatic expense tracking feature allowing schools to connect bank accounts and credit/debit cards
- **2023-04** — Acquired Experience Early Learning, integrating research-based curriculum and assessment into brightwheel platform

## Links

- Website: https://mybrightwheel.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davevasen
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/davevasen

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/dave-vasen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-13